Lizards Lecture

Question 1

What is the size, lifestyle, diet, reproductive mode, and other characteristics of Lacertidae?

Answer 1

Small to moderately-sized, well developed limbs
Active terrestrial or rock-dwelling
All diurnal
Primarily insectivorous, some herbivores
Oviparous
Bayesian mimicry (Heloborus lugubrious) anti-predator tactic
Junvenile lizard mimic coloration of sympatric noxious beetle, and walk like beetle, and are the same size as the beetle
As adults they change in coloration and become more cryptic

Question 2

What is the size, lifestyle, diet, reproductive mode, and other characteristics of Xantusiidae?

Answer 2

Small lizards; inhabit humid-arid habitats
Long-lived considering small size
Mostly nocturnal, secretive and sedentary
Habitat specialist – Xantusia vigilis associated with Joshua trees; X henshaw associated with granitic outcrops

Lepidophyma spp
Reproduce Parthenogentically
Not all parthenogens occur from interspecific hybridization
Some are bisexual; others are unisexual (all females)
Primarily…

Question 3

What is the family of Night lizards?

Answer 3

Xantusiidae

Question 4

What is the size, lifestyle, diet, reproductive mode, and other characteristics of Scincidae?

Answer 4

Characterized by smooth, shiny scales underlain by osteoderms, hard exterior to body
Body from variable – robust limbs and short bodies to limbless and elongate snake like bodies
Habits – mostly terrestrial and fossorial; some aquatic and arboreal
Mostly diurnal, some nocturnal or crepuscular
Oviparous (55%) , Viviparous (45%)
Females tend to eggs
Classic case of limb reduction and loss (in some examples)

Question 5

What is the size, lifestyle, diet, reproductive mode, and other characteristics of Anguidae?

Answer 5

Cosmopolitan; tropical and temperate regions
Habit- mostly terrestrial
Exceptions Anniella (fossorial), Abronia (Arboreal)
Habitats. – open grasslands (Ophiodes Ophisaurus) sand dunes(Anniella), pink-oak and cloud forest(Abronia); lowland rain forest(Some Diploglossus) and chaparral (Elgaria)
Diurnal, prefer cool, humid environments
Tails autotomize easily
Limb reduction and loss – evolved serveral times
Entirely limbless (Anniella, Ophisaurus), forelimbs lost but tiny hind limbs retained (Ophiodes), limb reduction (some species of Diploglossus)
Viviparity and oviparity, parental care

Question 6

What is the size, lifestyle, diet, reproductive mode, and other characteristics of Helopermatidae?

Answer 6

2 species; only venomous lizards (Komodo dragons)
Stout lizards with short, blunt tails used for fat storage
Diet – mostly vertebrates (mammals, birds, and their eggs, lizards) and insects
Day and night foragers
Prefer cooler temperatures than most lizards
tails are somewhat prehensile; allows lizards to climb heights to reach birds nest
also forage for food in ground burrows
Oviparous

Question 7

What is the size, lifestyle, diet, reproductive mode, and other characteristics of Gekkoniae?

Answer 7

Well-developed climbing ability; aided by microscopic setae on ventral surface of feet
Setae – hair-like projections of highly modified scales
Most geckos are nocturnal
Day geckos are diurnal (Genus Phelsuma)
Vocal communication generally rare in squamates but well-developed in geckos
Infraspecific communications: for territory, attract opposite sex and distress calls
Oviparous; 1-2 eggs per clutch
Some viviparous
Parthenogenesis recorded in some genera
Temperature-dependent sex determination
Caudal autotomy prevalent

Question 8

(Not lizard) What is the size, lifestyle, diet, reproductive mode, and other characteristics of Amphisbaenians?

Answer 8

Elongate, limbless (exception Bipes)
Pelvic and pectoral girdles – reduced or absent
Distinctly annulated
Size – 10cm to 80cm
Right lung reduced, left lung reduced in caecilians, snakes and limbless lizards
Skill heavily ossified and modified for digging
Habitat- lowland rainforests, subtropical rainforests, and deserts
1 species - Rhineuridae
Fossorial
Oviparity, and viviparity
One representative Rhineura Florida a or Florida Worm lizards

Question 9

What is the size, lifestyle, diet, reproductive mode, and other characteristics of Teiidae?

Answer 9

Habitat: arid dessert to tropical rainforest
Mostly terrestrial, some semi-aquatic
All diurnal
Draceana – food specialist (snails)
Oviparous; some nest communally
Parthenogenesis prevalent
New World species